" Let ' s not make a big deal out of this , Connor ," his mom said , mussing his already messy brown hair . " I doubt you want a long goodbye , and I don ’ t want to cry in front of all the other parents ,” she added with a wink . “ I know you ’ ll do great . Listen to your teachers , study hard , and have fun .” She brushed her dark brown curls out of her eyes and gazed up at the great blocky edifice with fondness . Then she frowned and firmly gripped Connor ’ s shoulder . “ But not too much fun . And not too much trouble , you hear ?" She noticed the line of cars growing long behind them . Her eyes glistened and her voice wavered . " Your father and I are only a phone call away if you need anything . Anything . We love you ." She pulled him into a hug that quickly turned into an iron grasp .
" I love you , too ," he grunted back . " I ' ll be fine , let me go . I don ' t wanna be late ."
Connor broke free of his mom and walked toward the school he had waited all his fourteen years of life to attend , stopping to spare one look back at his mom as she drove away . She pulled out of the circle , tears running down her cheeks , and drove back to the ring of trees around the school . For a few seconds he thought he could still hear traces of her music . Realization that he ’ d never been away from his parents for so long struck him . He rubbed his eyes and forced down tears of his own , and when he looked up again , she was out of sight .
Connor merged with the loose gaggle of other students his own age , including more of the Folk than he had ever seen in one place . Orcs , Elves , Dwarves , Pixies , and others he didn ’ t recognize rubbed shoulders with the human kids . He wanted to talk to them about spells , about dueling — about anything , but he also needed to find his friend Garrett .